I deleted all my adopted family off Facebook beside my mom...they all disowned me when I came out as an atheist
It's always a shame when someone's atheism causes rifts in their family. If fact it's a shame when anything causes rifts in a family - but there does seem to be a view in some (indeed many) religious communities that 'ceasing to be a member' is a monstrous crime that cannot be forgiven.
Welcome to your new family. True family will love you no matter what.
Friends are the family you get to choose.
Welcome to the community, just thought I should let you know I could always use another daughter.
Welcome. I would reinforce what some have said here: losing your family, despite their cruelty, can be earth-shattering. Please make sure you surround yourself with supportive and emotionally healthy people in real life. You'll find plenty of people like that online here . Good luck and peace.
sounds like some serious cult behavior on their part...you will have more friends on here than you can shake an electronic stick at....haha
Fuck em, they're not real family or friends if they are that petty. When this sort of thing happens, it's a clear indicator who really cares about you and who is nothing more than some insincere prick.
Those that are willing to disown family or friends over such a benign thing that is no different than a thought crime were never accepting of you from the start. They only expect you fall in line and uphold tradition for its own sake. You will find out in time that you are better off without those people in your life being negative influences, so keep a strong stride and be happy you now know who truly cares about you.
Im sorry thats an awful thing, all over how they feel, ?! I wouldn't just do the best i could ,not deal with judgmental people like that
They do the same thing to people who come out as gay, trans, or who even change church affiliations.
In my family, it was for divorce; I was ostracized when my cheating ex ran off with a younger woman (to my vast relief). But according to them, somehow, I was to blame, and my religious mom would plead for me to try harder to please him!
In the 1970s, my mom didn't write me for a year after I mentioned I was attending a different church denomination
Cheer up My dear Friend you are not suffering alone
Take me for example,
Here in my country, atheism is Refused by society and soon will by criminalize by law
So when they know this about me
They suspended me from work and later expelled me permanently and deleted my license
my family let me down they claimed that am dead,
I had to move away from my neighborhood I wasn't able even to walk on street or buy the grocery.
I was I got Beaten on street by complete strangers I don't know any one of them they broke into
my apartment throw out all my stuff on the street and put it on fire and
I could not Fill an official complaint about this, I'll be miss treated in the station if I try to do,
No one will accept that am atheist man on police station and want to comply about any thing,
They wil put me in Jail no matter what.
I had to close my Face-book account it's closed more than 3 years and lot to say but that's enough don't need to make it longer than this or tbother you with reading,
So, I know it's might be different in your case but for me I got used to it. Am always lonely rejected and always afraid to speak my mind or express my self actually this site is totally blocked in my country so I can't imagine what comes next.
For me am always try to be prepared don't know for what but that's makes me always afraid
it's my imminent (Xenophobia) it's the fear from the unknown
So don't fell lonely again We all here for you.
Man, that's rough! I always think I'm so different, thought of so bad by people, the odd one out and that people MIGHT try to get me fired because of it, but in perspective to what you have gone through, I will appreciate my freedom of expression/religion/or lack there of and hope you find a safe place where you can be accepted. Why don't you move to America?
@HottieMcMuffin36 Moving to America requires money... lots of it.
Also, if I were Egyptian, and had an Arabic name, I'd move to a less xenophobic country... like Canada. An agnostic Indian friend (India is a US ally) moved to Canada with his family because he couldn't get into the US. He's a software programmer, she's a dentist, and their daughter would also be an asset to the US.
They moved to Canada because they couldn't get in here, possibly because his given name is "Muhammad". It's the United States' loss.
That's got to be tough and heartbreaking, but they are definitely in the wrong for failing to accept you. Here's hoping you enjoy warm, close friendships with people who like, appreciate, and accept you for who you are. Seems like you are getting lots of support from folks here. Adding my hugs and support!
Last time I checked Atheists are the most hated minority in the U.S. It's certainly not easy we're told to shut up while all the religious folks can express themselves no questions asked. I hope to lessen this stigma in my lifetime. One can hope. Too many family members reacted terribly after finding out my religious preference.
I worry about my family & friends finding out too. They don’t know I gave up my faith. Plus I found out a few years ago my youngest sister and her husband are also closet atheist. When my parents found out my boyfriend is an open & loud atheist, I got the 3rd degree and 20 questions about it. Now 3 years later my parents call him son but we all don’t talk about reglious things out of respect.
I left a cult when I was 18 and was disowned by a whole community, not just my mother's family. My father's family never joined. She married outside the cult because they got together one drunk night and I was the eventual result.
I know that's tough, @MayRebel because I've been through the same. Okay, it was 60+ years ago, but the rejection is the same and I do remember it. Only my mother understood and accepted me for who I was. She was cool about the whole thing.
Bear in mind, family is not restricted to blood line (well, technically it is) and perhaps you can build a semblance of family here and in other places where we are accepted without conditions.
I know it's a small consolation to have a bunch of strangers sending you messages of support. I'm sorry you have to deal with this. I didn't have anything like that I'm my own life. My family didn't understand but they didn't disown me. I think the worse thing was that my mom told me that her biggest regret was not instilling God in her children at an early age. I was like, before I learned to reason you mean?
Maybe they will come around... Assuming you still want them in your life. I hope things get better for you.